unidrive axle woodruff keys

[ranger 373]

Hi guys & girls

          Does anyone know of a supplier for the #22 1/4" x 1-3/8" woodruff keys for the drive axle/hub? this is for the 1-1/8" axle. I tried the local Toro agent but got a blank look. I foud some in the states but they did not ship to the UK. I can find plenty @ 1/4" x 1-1/4" but not the next size up. I may have to turn some up on the lathe if I can find the right grade of steel in my stock, sorry scrap pile as my wife calls it.

  Yours in anticipation,

           Doug.

[meadowfield 1,900]

I can get them from a local bearing stockist. You'll also get them from that auction site...

[ranger 373]

Thanks for the reply,   I've not had any joy on 'that auction site yet,I'm back at work next week I'll try the local bearing companies in Cambridge.   The trouble with the net is it makes you lazy when it comes to shopping for things!

[meadowfield 1,900]

There are quite a few for sale, don't search #22 as that's possibly the US description.

Search for 1/4 woodruff, there are quite a few

Mark

[ranger 373]

every size but the size I need

[ranger 373]

Just been looking in "Macreadys"  the chemical composition of EN8 is close to key steel slightly:  less carbon, so I'll make some temporary ones till I can find the correct parts.

[Anglo Traction 998]

Hi Ranger, I went down the road of making my own from Free Cutting Mild Steel .

One thing you need to double check is that I don't think the Keys should be the same grade as Key Steel.

They should be Mild Steel in order for the keys to shear before the Keyways on the Shafts and Hubs do (we all know they don't).

The originals I removed were definitely only mild steel. Your call really. 

 

I'm still hoping to get time to break into my spare WH Tranny and get the Shafts Hardness Tested, but I suspect they are only about Rockwell 27, so pretty soft compared to Auto Drive shafts.

[ranger 373]

Hi,Anglo Traction, Macreadys states "keysteel BS46: Part1: 1958 0.45% carbon maximum. 0.60/1.00%manganese."

"EN8/080m40= 0.36 to 0.44% carbon, 0.6 to 1.00% manganese"

I have, somewhere in the shed a portable hardness tester,I'll have to check the axle and some keysteel I have.

When I bought this transaxle, one of the hubs had been welded to the shaft,luckily only on the end. I ground the weld off and the hub slid off: no key in either side but in the process I managed to set fire to my trousers and ended up with a burnt leg and hand

[Anglo Traction 998]

That's interesting Ranger and out of curiosity, I just dug the 1.3/8" Woodruffs out of my early 80s 103916 Tranny and checked them. They are as you say... harder than the soft 1" ones I took out of my early 70s 5091 8spd?-

 

 

Would be very helpful if you can hardness check an Axle over it's length, as I would like to make some 1.1/8" dia once I establish that, Steel grade and the Module size for the Spline Cutter. I would have to pay a Local Engineering Shop for the testing and final Heat Treatment . 

Regards   

[ranger 373]

Anglo traction, I've just been on a website 'keysandpins.com'. they quote:

Imperial BS46 Part 1 1958Standard stock material Woodruff Key

• Keysteel 080M30 (EN6a) This material is no longer available keys are now produced from one of the materials listed below.
• Keysteel 080M40 (EN8).
• Werkstoff C45 +C.
•  Werkstoff 1.4571
• A2 303/304 grade stainless steel
• A4 316 grade stainless steel
• I've found my tester,an Electromatic Rangemaster hiding in the back of a cupboard,flat battery of course! I'll pick up a new battery and se what I can do.

[Anglo Traction 998]

 

Anglo traction, I've just been on a website 'keysandpins.com'. they quote:

Imperial BS46 Part 1 1958Standard stock material Woodruff Key

I've found my tester,an Electromatic Rangemaster hiding in the back of a cupboard,flat battery of course! I'll pick up a new battery and se what I can do.

 

 

Yep, thanks, familiar with those specs.

Problem with BS46 is that it is not as comprehensive a list of available sizes compared to the US ANSI B17.2 1967 specs

#811 on that list is one of the sizes Wheel Horse used (1/4 x 1 3/8").

Tempted to go for 1/4" square and cut a long slot in the Shaft when I get to make them. I still have my old Key Steel Stock from the early 80s to fall back on. 

The softer ones on my tired C-120 Tranny are holding well, despite pulling a few Wheelies off the Clutch.   

Whatever you can produce in the way of Testing info would be greatly appreciated.

Regards.

[ranger 373]

Been to an R.A.F. base today to repair a piece of equipment and saw a board in the M.T.workshops displaying imperial fasteners. Asking a mechanic if they had any 1/4" x 1-3/8"" woodruff keys he thought for a start it was a tool, then said He did not know what they are & asked what they look like & what are they used for?

[squonk 71]

Speaking of axle keys. I bought my 73 12 from the original owner. He had every receipt  that he ever got for it. Nothing was noted about replacing an axle. I replaced the puny stock rear hubs with a pair from a 520. The axle keys were 2 different sizes. I had to use a #15  and a # 22 I got hardened keys from McMaster-Carr.

 

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/topic/46580-a-tale-of-2-keys/?hl=%2Baxle+%2Bkeys#entry429788

[ih674 14]

I just made my own from some larger ones out of a sparex selection pack of keyways.

 

If the keyways are worn you can get a better fit by making your own anyway.

 

James

[ranger 373]

Thats what  I thought I would do, it's finding the time t the moment.

    Doug.

[ih674 14]

I know the feeling, the weeks seem to fly by with no progress on any projects.

 

It wasn't too bad of a job, just a fine file and a lot of trial fitting 

 

Good look,

James